Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

J. M. MARSHALL.

WIRE STRETGHER.

No. 580,091. PatentedApnfi, 1897.

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JAMES M. MARSHALL, OF HARTSVILLE, TENNESSEE.

WIRE- STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,093 dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed April 10, 1896- Serial No. 587,000. (No morlzi.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs M. MARSHALL, of Hartsville, in the county of Trousdale and State of Tennessee, have invented an Improved W ite-Stretcher, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-stretchers and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device adapted to be rapidly and conveniently attached to a fence-post and capable of being readily operated to stretch a fence-wire to the desired tension.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-stretcher applied to a post and illustrating the manner of stretching a fencewire. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a wirestretcher detached. Fig'. 3 is a detail View illustrating the arrangement of the springactuated pawls. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view of the wire-stretcher.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 designates a ratchet-bar provided at its upper and lower edges with teeth 2 and having a longitudinal slot 3 extending from one end of it to within a short distance of the other end. The ratchet-teeth 2 are engaged by a pair of spring-actuated pawls 4, mounted on suitable pivots and arranged in a longitudinal slot 5 of an operating-lever 6, whichreceives the ratchet-bar within its slot 5, the said pawls being located at the ends of the slots 5 at points above and below the ratchetbar. The pawls 4:, which engage the ratchetbar for holding the operating-lever at the proper adjustment, are provided with handles adapted to be compressed or moved in the direction of the ratchet-bar to disengage the pawls therefrom. The springs 7, which actuate the pawls, are mounted on the operating-lever and bear against the outer faces of the engaging ends of the pawls.

The operating-lever is adapted to be oscillated to advance it from one end of the ratchetbar to the other, and it carries with it a rod 8, which operates in the slot of the ratchet-bar, and it is provided at its inner end with a cylindrical enlargement or head 9, through which passes the pivot-bolt 10 of the operating-lever. The cylindrical enlargement or head 9 fits snugly within the slot 3 of the ratchet-bar and operates as a spacing device to prevent the sides of the ratchet-bar from springing inward when the lever 6 is operated, thereby preventing any liability of the pawls becoming accidentally disengaged from the ratchet-bar through inward springing of its sides. A plate 11 is secured to the ratchetbar at one end thereof and spans the slot 3 to support the sides of said bar and also serve as a guide for the rod. This plate stifiens the sides of the ratchet-bar, and the outer end of the rod is provided with a suitable clamp 12 for engaging a fence-Wire to connect the same with the wire-stretcher. The other end of the ratchet -bar is detachably connectedto a fence-post by means of a pair of curved jaws 12", having their outer ends extended inward toward each other and provided with suitable teeth adapted to embed themselves in the opposite faces of the post. The inner terminals of the jaws 12 are connected by vertical pivots 13 with horizontal extensions or flanges 14 of vertical ears 15, and the latter are attached to the opposite faces of the adjacent end of the ratchet-bar by a horizontal pivot 16.

The ears 15 are capable of a vertical swinging movement on the horizontal pivot 16, and the jaws 12 are adapted to swing horizontally on the vertical pivots 13 in opening and closing, and they are connected by a transverse spiral spring lat, which holds the jaws in engagement with a post in adjusting the wirestretcher.

As soon as there is any tension on the wire it operates to cause the jaws to clamp the post firmly and there is no liability of the device slipping during the operation of stretching the fence-wire.

The teeth or gripping ends of the jaws are beveled at their outer edges to enable the clamp to engage a post automatically when forced against the same.

It will be seen that the wire-stretcher is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in tensions or arms, the horizontally-swinging jaws connected at their inner terminals by vertical pivots to the horizontal extensions or arms and provided at their outer ends with inwardly-extending teeth beveled at their outer sides, and a spring connecting thejaws.

and adapted to hold them in engagement with a post, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J. M. MARSHALL.

Vitnesses:

D. S. REED, D. G. BROWN. 

